India’s Panorama Studios has entered into a groundbreaking partnership with Malayalam film star Nivin Pauly to produce a Malayalam feature film with a cumulative budget of INR 100 million ($11.1 million), making it one of the largest deals in Malayalam film history.
This multi-film collaboration will see Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak producing at Panorama Studios, with Pauly serving as both actor and producer. The film will span multiple genres targeting Indian and international audiences.
Panorama Studios has built a track record of producing commercially successful Hindi films such as ‘Drishyam’, ‘Pyaar Ka Punchnama’, ‘Raid’ series and ‘Shaitaan’. The company started with Vishal Bhardwaj’s ‘Omkara’ and has so far won over 50 industry awards. The studio is currently developing ‘Drishyam 3’.
Known for choosing commercially viable projects across genres, Pauly ranks as one of the most bankable stars in Malayalam cinema. The actor rose to stardom with the 2012 romance drama ‘Thattathin Marayathu’ and gave his breakthrough performances in ‘Bangalore Days’ and ‘1983’ in 2014. The 2015 youth romance drama ‘Premam’ became one of the highest-grossing films in Malayalam cinema history. Other notable works include the police drama “Action Hero Biju” produced under Pauley Jr. Pictures, the blockbuster film “Kayamkulam Kochunni” and the political satire “Sahav”.
The actor is currently on a roll with the success of the supernatural comedy ‘Sarvam Maya’ which released on December 25 and grossed over Rs 100 crore worldwide, making him the first film of his to cross that milestone. Critics have hailed the film as a commercial comeback after a series of box office failures.
Pauly has won two Kerala State Film Awards, three Southern Filmfare Awards, two Kerala Film Critics Association Awards and six SIIMA Awards.
The partnership represents Panorama Studios’ expansion into Malayalam production and positions the company to capitalize on the growing South Indian film market both domestically and internationally.
“Malayalam cinema has consistently set benchmarks for storytelling and performance-driven cinema,” said Kumar Mangat Pathak, Chairman, Panorama Studios. “Partnering with Nivin Pauly, who represents authenticity, talent and connection with the masses, is a natural progression for Panorama Studios. This partnership is our way of investing at scale in meaningful films and building long-term creative partnerships in the South.”
Polley added, “This collaboration with Panorama Studios is extremely exciting for me, both as an actor and as a producer. Their vision, scale, and commitment to quality films align perfectly with the kinds of stories I want to be a part of. Together, we aim to make films that are grounded, entertaining, and impactful.”
The partnership comes as Malayalam films continue to expand beyond Kerala, with recent films enjoying successful Hindi-dubbed and theatrical releases across India. The partnership aims to leverage Panorama’s distribution network and production expertise, along with Pauley’s star power and script selection capabilities.
Details of individual planned projects, including directors, screenwriters, and release schedules, have not been disclosed.
